These are the final release notes for the February 2026 release of webReader.
Released: 2026-02-04
New Features and Changes
Keyboard Shortcuts Enabled before webReader has Loaded
webReader holds off loading all files until the user has interacted with the player or the context menu. From this version, using keyboard shortcuts also count as user interaction, which means that it’s now possible to use keyboard shortcuts even before the application has fully loaded. #11962
Shortcut added for Keyboard Mode
The Keyboard Mode now has its own keyboard shortcut. It can be customized in the settings. #11912
Make it Possible to Combine Customer-specific Pronunciation Rules with Math
It is now possible to use customer-specific pronunciation rules in combination with math. Prior to this version, math rules would always override any other rules. #11424
Add Help Section for Keyboard Mode
There is now a section that describes Keyboard Mode in the help page. #11319
Changes to Text Mode
We have changed the way content is prepared before it is displayed in text mode. The steps now include:
- Preserve readable text
- Preserve line breaks, but collapse multiple consecutive line breaks
- Keep images when they provide accessible text
- Remove decorative/hidden content (e.g. aria-hidden=true, role=presentation, as well as elements hidden with CSS)
- Remove non-content elements (e.g. script and style)
- Disable form controls
- Remove all attributes except:
- alt
- title
- value
- placeholder
- aria-label
- aria-labelledby
- aria-describedby
- src
This will eliminate the risk of content being incorrectly rendered, and at the same time make sure that it remains accessible. #12009
Notable Corrections
Summary Missing Parts of the Content
The summary/simple text (not available in all markets) feature would exclude some content in certain situations. This has now been fixed. #12000
Keyboard Mode cannot be Disabled in Configuration
It is now possible (but not recommended) for customers to disable the Keyboard Mode feature using the standard configuration methods. #11916
Error when Restoring Default Voice Settings
There was an issue when restoring the reading voice to the default value. This has been addressed. #11849
Stability Improvements for Text Highlighting
Fixed an issue where text highlighting would stop working after the first selection in certain areas like quizzes (in D2L for example). This update ensures the highlighting tool remains stable and responsive when interacting with complex web components and embedded content. #11720
Improved Language Detection for Canvas Courses
Fixed an issue where non-English courses in Canvas would sometimes default to the wrong language or voice. The system now correctly recognizes short language codes (like “fr” or “it”), ensuring that the reading voice and menu interface automatically match the course language. #11322
Disabled Tool Possible to Activate via Keyboard Shortcut
Certain tools, such as the MP3 download feature, would still be possible to activate via keyboard shortcuts even after being disabled in the configuration. This has now been fixed. #11315
Improved Custom Reading Area Support
Fixed a technical issue where specific reading areas, set via the API, were sometimes ignored. #10892
Accessibility Improvements
These issues have been addressed:
- Settings tabs: Focus indicator lacks 3:1 contrast ratio.
#11420 - Disabled state of various buttons is not conveyed to screen readers.
#11415,#11417,#11418,#11419 - Text spacing, volume, and reading speed slider: Active state lacks 3:1 contrast ratio.
#11414,#11416 - Control panel: Increased contrast of the Automatic Scrolling: Off label.
#12026